OVERVIEW
The Urubamba River is one of the most important waterways in South American history. It flows from the glaciers of the Vilcanota range through the heart of the Sacred Valley, past the ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, and then turns north toward the Amazon basin. The Inca considered it a mirror of the Milky Way, a sacred river that connected the earthly and the celestial. Today it also happens to offer some of the best white-water rafting in Peru.
The section of the Urubamba used on the Inca Jungle route sits at approximately 1,400 meters above sea level, where the river has carved a deep canyon through the cloud forest and built up enough volume and momentum to produce consistent Class III rapids. This is not flat water with a paddle for decoration. The current is real, the rapids are active, and every person in the raft has a job to do. It is also one of the most beautiful rivers you will ever sit in the middle of.
QUICK FACTS
- River: Urubamba River, upper canyon section
- Altitude: approximately 1,400 m / 4,593 ft
- Rapid classification: Class III
- Distance on water: approximately 10 km
- Time on water: approximately 2 hours
- Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate. No prior experience required.
- Minimum age: 12 years for standard group departures
- Equipment included: wetsuit, helmet, life jacket, paddle
- Best months: Available year-round. Higher water volume and faster rapids during rainy season (November to March).
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
- THE EXPERIENCE
The rafting section begins with a thorough safety briefing from your certified rafting guide. Paddle commands, body position, what to do if you fall out, and how to read the river are all covered before anyone gets near the water. The equipment is checked and fitted individually. Nobody enters the raft until the guide is satisfied that everyone understands what they are doing.
Once on the water the river takes over. The first rapids appear within minutes of the put-in point and the group settles into the rhythm of working together in the raft. Between rapids the canyon walls rise on both sides, the vegetation overhangs the water, and the pace of the river drops to something closer to a drift. These calmer sections are where the scale and the beauty of the canyon really register, and most groups go quiet during them in a way that does not happen anywhere else on the route.
The rafting section covers approximately 10 kilometers of river and lasts around two hours on the water. By the time you pull out at the takeout point, most groups are already asking whether they can go again.
- SAFETY
All rafting on the Inca Jungle route is operated with equipment that meets international safety standards. Every participant wears a wetsuit, a helmet, a properly fitted life jacket, and carries a paddle. The rafting guide is certified in swift water rescue and wilderness first aid. A safety kayaker accompanies the group on the river. A support team is positioned at key points along the bank.
Class III rapids are appropriate for beginners. They require attention, teamwork, and willingness to get wet, but they do not require any prior experience. Children over 12 can participate on standard group departures.
- TIPS
Listen to the entire safety briefing before you get on the water. The commands your guide gives during rapids need to be automatic responses, not things you have to think about in the moment. A few minutes of attention at the start saves a lot of confusion when the water gets fast.
Secure everything that cannot get wet before you enter the raft. Phones, cameras, and anything in your pockets should go into the dry bags provided by the guide. The Urubamba is a cold river and the rapids are real. Assume you will get wet and plan accordingly.
Eat something light before the rafting section. A full meal immediately before going on the water is not advisable, but arriving at the river hungry will affect your paddling through the longer rapids.
